Dozens of friends of the Institute from the four corners of the United States came to the Shrine of Christ the King for the national retreat of the lay Society of the Sacred Heart. Preached by Monsignor Wach and Monsignor Schmitz, the spiritual conferences focused on the spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales as well as on the history of the Society of the Sacred Heart, which has its roots in a lay group of Benedictine spirituality which was founded by the late Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand during the time of the Nazi persecution.

Monsignor Wach conferred the cross of Saint Francis de Sales to friends of the Institute who had attended the very first meeting of the Society in the United States last year. The faithful assisted at Solemn High Mass celebrated by Monsignor Wach, as well as at Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. On Sunday, Monsignor Wach offered Solemn High Mass and Eucharistic Procession for the External Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

The retreat then concluded with a delightful concert of hidden masterpieces of baroque music for violin, oboe, harpsichord, and basso continuo — thus expressing the Institute's mission to unite Faith and culture.